Analysis of adverts - Purpose and Audience

Lexis

Descriptive language

All adverts use descriptive language but the level of it used and the type of descriptive techniques used is dependant on the primary purpose and the audience of the advert. Advertisers use a wide range of descriptive vocabulary such as adjectives, packed noun phrases, and Jargon. By using these particular techniques, advertisers can convey large amounts of information to the audience in a small amount of text, and the audience receive persuasive messages without being conscious of it.

Adjectives

L’Oreal uses a number of adjectives to persuade the audience and to inform the audience of the product Casting. ‘Natural-looking’, ‘Ultra-Shiny’, ‘natural colour’, ‘unhappy hair’, ‘first greys’ are all examples of the adjectives used by L’Oreal to inform the consumer of the product and to play on the insecurities of the consumer. ‘Natural-looking’, ‘Ultra-Shiny’, and ‘Natural colour’ are all adjectives that the advertisers have used to promote the product. The emphasis is on the colour being natural once applied; the advertisers have chosen to promote this quality because a natural non-brassy/bright colour is what women 30+ would be looking for in a colour of this type.

The L’Oreal Elvive advert also uses adjectives, ‘smoothes’, ‘nourishes’, ‘soft and shiny’, ‘added protection’, and ‘deep conditioning’,  the emphasis of these adjectives is on the protection that the hair treatment can provide for your hair after colouring which would normally lead to damage. The use of these particular adjectives appeals directly to the audience because these are the qualities that over 30’s are looking for from a hair treatment.

Unlike the L’Oreal adverts, the Garnier advert uses more factual language than descriptive; however, the advertisers have still used adjectives to describe the product to the audience. ‘Anti-ageing’, ‘Brighten dull, tired-looking skin’, ‘fine lines’ all describe the condition of the consumers skin, and persuade them to buy the product if what is being described is what they see.

Clean & clear, uses many more varieties of vocabulary to advertise their product, however like the other three adverts they too have used adjectives.  ‘Fresh-faced’, ‘greasy dry skin’, ‘tingly clean skin’, ‘deep-down clean’, are all example of the adjectives used. Generally the advertisers have used adjectives to pre-modify nouns such as ‘skin’, and ‘colour’.

Packed noun phrases & Jargon

The L’Oreal Casting advert uses a packed noun phrase ‘tone on tone gel colourant with no ammonia’. Therefore, the consumer is provided with all of the main information needed in one sentence, rather than an overpowering amount of text that would be off putting for the reader. However, they are not frequent because they are only used where when the producer of them does not want the audience to have an instant understanding of what the product/idea is that is being described. Advertisers only use them to add to the prestige of the product, and to provide more information than perhaps necessary.

All adverts use jargon to describe the product or the effect of the product; however it is used in different quantities depending on what features of the product the advertiser is attempting to promote.

The Clean & Clear advertisement uses little jargon to describe the effects of the product range, this gives the consumer concise information concerning the product. ‘Exfoliating’, and ‘micro-granules’, are the two examples of Jargon, the jargon used in this advert is consumer friendly. The use of Jargon in cosmetic adverts is effective because the consumer is in most circumstances familiar with the terms used.

The advert for L’Oreal Casting uses a noun phrase that consists of jargon, ‘tone on tone gel colourant with no ammonia’, although the audience may be aware of what is being described, to somebody outside of the audience it may not be clear. Advertisers use very specific jargon when aiming products at specific audiences because the language is more persuasive as an advertising tool. Similarly to the Casting advert, the L’Oreal Elvive advert uses a single piece of jargon to describe a positive feature of the product, ‘UV filter technology’, although the audience may be aware of the meaning of UV, it may be difficult for the audience to understand why a hair care range has UV filter technology as that is unclear.

The advertisement for Garnier synergie stop uses more jargon than all of the others; this is because they are advertising to an older audience than the other three adverts. ‘UV rays with SPF 15’, ‘dermatologically tested’, and ‘multi-action formula’. The use of jargon in this advert is particularly effective because of the target audience, women over 40+ are more likely to have an understanding of terms such as these rather than the target audience of the Clean & Clear advert are more likely to  be drawn to persuasive and spoken  language techniques.

Spoken Language

Spoken language techniques are especially useful when directly addressing the audience, and advertising to younger audiences because the advert works on a more personal level to the specified target audience.  

Tone & Register

The Clean & Clear advert uses an informal and familiar tone and direct address to address the target audience. This is effective because the advert addresses the audience in the way that they address each other, e.g. the advert uses the first person pronouns ‘you’, and ‘you’re’ to address the consumer. This is intended to involve the reader, and to make the advert accessible and more personal. Throughout the entire advert there are a large number of informal phrases such as, ‘you don’t know who might pop around’, ‘some serious fashion hunting’, and ‘icky’. The use of phrases like these makes the reader feel at ease with the advert, simple language reflects an accessible and simple product. Sentences such as ‘you check your diary and you’re meeting some friends down the shops…’ connect with the reader on a familiar level, because the situation is one that the target audience may find themselves in often.

The L’Oreal adverts for Casting and Elvive both restrict the use of direct address to the hook and the signature of the adverts, ‘ Revitalise your colour’, ‘to lock in the colour you love’, this seems appropriate because the copy is informative and descriptive language rather than speech. The signature of each advert ‘because you’re worth it’ is easily recognisable as it is used in all of L’Oreal’s advertising campaigns and the use of the first person pronoun ‘you’ reinforces the impact that it has on the audience.  

Unlike the L’Oreal and Clean & Clear adverts, Garnier does not use direct address, but the tone of the advert similarly to the L’Oreal adverts is commanding for example the L’Oreal Elvive advert uses verbs such as ‘revitalise’, and ‘trust’ as imperatives, to encourage and persuade the audience to buy the product.

Persuasive language

The adverts have two purposes, one to inform and the other to persuade, therefore advertisers use specific persuasive language techniques to advertise their product. As with informative language the techniques used will vary and are dependant on the target audience range.

There is a wide range of persuasive language in the Clean & Clear advert, with usage of imperatives this is effective because the advert relates to and involves the audience, rather than the audience remaining passive, the advert makes them active.

Factual language

Jargon & inclusion of studies/evidence